Shiftable tab means for address printing plates



March 29, 1949. G. R. SULLIVAN 2,465,494

SHIFTABLE TAB MEANS FOR ADDRESS PRINTING PLATES Filed June 18, 1942 f6 l OGLOOOOOOOOO@ l: E. 4 l 46 [45 ooooooooQ/'ooroooooooo 47 O- 43 NWN 30H GHA'HolH 53 O .T2 M3399 am O IJ l .ODAIJIHD 41 /4Z Il O o I\" O o 51 v52 2/54 o o o O o G @oooOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOO lkw/72507.- F 5.5 l50 5! @e0/:ye Jal/Maiz Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES this? Ni GFFICE SHIFTABLE TAB MIEANS FOR ADDRESS PRINTING ELATES Application .lune 18, 1942, Serial No. 447,519

(Cl. i-369) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to printing devices of the kind that are usually stored in drawers, trays or the like when notl in use, the devices being removed from such storage and being introduced into a suitable printing machine to be passed therethrough seriatim to have one or more iinpressions made therefrom, the printing devices being returned to storage, as aforesaid, after having passed through the printing machine.

Printing devices of the aforesaid character are customarily stored in the drawers, trays or the like in accordance With a selected classification as, where names or the like may be printed therefrom, the printing devices are stored in the drawers or the like in alphabetical arrangement according to the names or the like that may be printed therefrom. Moreover, such printing devices usually embody classification or identifying means which heretofore have been utilized in the printing machines through Which the printing devices have been passed to enable selection of the printing devices to be effected, which is to say, to enable the printing devices to be passed through the machine in such a Way that impressions are made from selected of the printing devices While other of the printing devices are passed through the machine Without having impressions made therefrom, Wherefore, as it is termed in the art, such printing devices are skipped.

Printing devices of the aforesaid character are utilized in a Wide variety of Ways and an exemplary use of such printing devices is in the trust department of a bank or the like. In such use, the printing devices may, for example, be so arranged that the name and address of a client or customer of the trust department may be printed therefrom and frequently, in such instances, the classification or identifying means on the printing devices are arranged to indicate the kind and amount of stocks or bonds in the respective accounts of the clients or customers to which printing devices respectively pertain. In such instances Where it has been desired to ascertain, for example, the names of the owners of. some particular' stock or bond or number of stocks or bonds, or the value thereof that are owned by the customer or clients, it has been customary to pass all of the printing devices in the collection thereof through one or more printing machines as the devices are so passed through the machine or machines impressions are made from only those printing devices which relate' to customers or clients owning the par- In some instances instead of passing all ofthe printing devices through a printing machine or machines, as aforesaid, those printing devices in the collection relating to the particular classii'lcaticn or subject concerning which data Were desired have been manually selected from the collection. ever present possibility of human error.

It will be understood that the foregoing is merely exemplary of one instance, and of WaysY in which, data borne by printing devices have been selectively ascertained and that in manyother instances it is desirable and advantageous to quickly and accurately ascertain what data are borne by selected printing devices or which printing devices bear certain data.

Therefore, among the important objects of the present invention is to so arrange printing devices of the afor-esaid character that those bearing or relating to particular data or a class of` data may be accurately and expeditiously separated or selected from the remainder of the printing devices in a particular collection thereof, and so that data borne by selected printing devices in a collection thereof may be accurately and expeditiously ascertained.

Other objects of the invention are to so ar-` range printing devices of the aforesaid character that they may be accurately and expeditiously sorted into related groups; to associate with the printing means of a printing device of the aforesaid character an arrangement which will enable the printing devices to be sorted into related` groups; and to detachably associate in printingV- devices of the aforesaid character they printing means and the means which enable the printing devices to be sorted into related groups.

Among the uses to which printing devicesy of the character to which this invention pertains are put are those which require that the classiflcation of printing devices be. of such nature that it may readily be altered as in an instance Where printing devices are employed in and pertain to an accounting system under which ac,-A

counts vv'ill be paid from time to time. In such circumstances it is frequently desirable to, inditisular Vstock or bond concerning Which data are cate by means of the classification of the print,-

This was, of course, subject to the f ing devices whether accounts are paid or unpaid and in such circumstances it is desirable that the arrangement be such that classification of a particular printing device may be readily varied so as to, for example, enable classification of a printing device to be changed from that pertaining to an unpaid account to that pertaining to a paid account.

Hence other objects of the present invention are to enable the classification of printing devices to be expeditiously altered when and as required; to incorporate, in association with the classifying means embodied in printing devices of the aforesaid character, an arrangement whereby one particular classification may be rendered ineiective and another rendered effective; and to aord an arrangement of the aforesaid character whereby changes of the classification may be accurately and expeditiously effected.

While resort might be had to a wide variety of arrangements to enable printing devices of the aforesaid character bearing or relating to particular data or a class of data to be automatically and expeditiously separated or selected from the remainder of the printing devices in a particular collection thereof and to enable other of the hereinabove set forth and related objects of this invention to be realized, one particular arrangement to which resort may be had for such purposes is that to which Perkins Patent No. 1,544,172, patented June 30, 1925, pertains and, while it is to be understood that this particular arrangement is merely illustrative of a wide variety of arrangements to which resort may be had for the purposes of this invention, it is nevertheless a specific object of this invention to enable van arrangement of this character to be included in a printing device so as to thereby enable the above set forth objects of this invention to be realized. Moreover, another speciiic oloject of this invention ancillary to the foregoing' is to so arrange a printing device embodying an arrangement as that to which the aforesaid Perkins patent pertains in such a way that a particular classification imparted to the printing device in accordance with the method disclosed in the aforesaid Perkins patent to be expeditiously changed when and as required, and a yet further ancillary object is to enable this to be accomplished by an arrangement permanently included on the printing devices.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, shows preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a printing device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a printing device which Iconstitutes another embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line ti-ii of Fig. 4.

In the `form of the invention disclosed in Figs. l to 3 of the accompanying drawings, I have shown a printing device lo including a printing plate Il that is secured on one face of a carrier l so that printing means such as the embossed type characters I3 formed onI the printing plate are exposed to enable printing impressions to be made therefrom. The carrier I2 is formed from cardboard or other suitable sheet material and is so related to the printing plate II that it defines and provides a border aoout and projecting outwardly from the marginal edges of the printing plate Il. The extending border which is thus provided by the `carrier I2 is of such a Width that a series of spaced openings I5 may be formed about and along but inwardly spaced from the edges of the carrier l2 and in spaced relation to the printing plate il. The openings l5 are preferably spaced equally from each other and when the material intermediate an opening I5 and the adjacent edge of the carrier of the printing device is out away to thereby afford an outwardly opening slot I6, the printing device is then ar ranged to be sorted from a group of similar printing devices in accordance with the method disclosed in the patent to Perkins No. 1,544,172, patented June 30, 1925. In order to assure that the printing devices Ill in a particular group thereof will be located in similar positions during such a sorting operation, one corner of the carrier I2 is cut away or chamfered as at Il.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings the printing device I0 has rows of openings I5 formed along all four of the edges thereof, but it will be understood that the objects of the present invention may be attained in many instances through the use of openings I5 along less than all of the side edges of the carrier I 2. The printing plate II is rectangular in outline and the relationship between the printing plate II and the card or carrier I2 is such that the extending border portion of the carrier I2 is substantially uniform on all sides of the printing plate. In this embodiment of the invention the printing plate II is secured upon the carrier I2 by a mounting plate 20 which is disposed on the face of the carrier I2 opposite that on which the printing plate is disposed and lugs 2! formed on the mounting plate 20 extend through slots 22 formed in the carrier I2. The lugs 2| extend past the side edges of the printing plate ll and are turned inwardly so as to overlie the face of the printing plate. The printing plate Il is held against longitudinal displacement by a tongue 23 struck from the printing plate Il and extended through an opening 24 in the carrier I2 and into an opening 25 formed in the mounting plate 20. Thus it will be clear that the printing plate I I is maintained in a predetermined position on one face of carrier l2, and the printing device Il) which is thus formed may be readily sorted in accordance with related classification data or other characteristics which may be incorporated in or imparted to the printing device by the selective formation of notches as I6 at appropriate identifying positions afforded by the openings l5.

Most of the data which may thus be represented on a printing device as l0 are permanent in character but in certain uses of printing devices of this kind, as for example in the use of such printing devices for accounting purposes, certain of the representation of the data may require frequent change. This is particularly.' true Where the desiresv to afford" an indica-' tionA of the payment status of the accounts of the customers Whose names and addresses are embossed on the printing plates ll of the printmay be moved into different positions to thereby enable different data representations to be afforded at a pair of identifying positions on the printing device.

Thus, as shown in Figs. l and 2, one end of a relatively thin metallic arm 3i is extended beneath a generally arcuate retaining strip 3! struck from the material of the mounting plate2il adjacent to one end thereof. The end of the arm Sil which is thus projected beneath the strip 3i is extended beneath and pivotally mounted upon an upwardly struck pivot 33 formed on the mounting plate so that the arm 3e may be swung about the pivot 2.3. The arm @il has an upwardly struck boss or projection 36A which in the aforesaid swinging movement of the arm 3@ is adapted to be successively engaged by friction with spaced positioning openings Sli'forrned in the strip Si to thereby be retained in the position into which it is moved. It will be understood that the projecting boss 34A on the arm 3d snaps into an opening Si! in the strip 3i to serve as a frictional detent holding the arm in adjusted position. Moving the arm to another position forces the boss iii-A out of the opening 34. As shown in Fig. 2, the arm Si? is offset at 33 so that a position thereof extends through an opening in the card i2 and the free end of the'arm 30 may thereby be disposed on the same face of the card or carrier I2 as the printing plate H. The arm 38 has a laterally projecting finger 36 formed on the margin near the free end thereof so that in one position of the arm 3G the finger 36 will extend across the open end of a slot lli which is formed at one of the identifying positions on the carrier l2. When the slot I6 is thus closed by the finger the slot It' has the same characteristics as one of the openings'l, but when the arm 3f) is .sv/'ung a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to the position determined by the next one of the positioning openings 3d, the slot It' is opened; and at this time the arm is effective to close the end of a slot i6" WhichV is located in the identifying position next or adjacent to the slot lli', a projecting card tab which separates the two slots being hidden by the arrn 35 but shown in dotted lines in Fig. l.

By means of the i-' uegL arr the arm may be located in one position to close the slot i to tbereby indi if that the particular account to ng device r unpaid, and wl e is received, the arm 315 may be moved .o its second positie tice-relay indicate such. parme; or, if desir .i may be used for indicating other freouen changed classification t .ning to the printing device ifi. 2? may also have an additional posi on such that shown in ther dotted outline in l wher n the slots ifa" and I6" are both left open. Furthermore, a plurality sorting in accordance With` of arrangements such as that'just7 described'ia be'incorporated in a single printing deviceifde'- sired or required.

It will be evident that a group of printing de vices such as that shown in lTfigs. l L03 may beUAV classied into a plurality of different classinca-AV tions through the formation of notches i at' 1k dii-ferent positions about the edges thereoiyand; 'i printing devices falling in any one oi the'various classifications which are thus afforded maybe separated from the group through relatively simple manually periormed sorting operations. Hence the sorting of the printing devices is 'eX-' pedited and may be performed in an accurateVw manner. Moreover, by reason of the fact that the printing device may be sorted or selected, data may be accurately and speedily collected and printed.

In many uses of printing devices of the charracter to which the present invention pertains', the user may Wish to keep records of transac# tions which relate to subject as a particular printing device, and this may be 4cfp'editiously done through making oi' eitries upon the printing device. The area of printing devices of this character is usually quite limited, but in Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated an embodiment of" the present invention which not only enables the printing devices to be sorted manually in accordance with the method disclosed in the aforesaid Perkins patent, but also enables entries to be made' upon the printing device.

Thus, the printing device illustrated in Figs'l' and 5 embodies a printing plate ti secur -d upon" a relatively large carrier d2 marie from cardboard' or like material. The printing plate d! has printing means such as ernlioss il type characters formed thereon from whi g impressions may be made. This pr.' T is held in place on the carrier i2 by a mount ff plata having securing flanges 5i extendthrough slots 52 in the carrier fl?! and bent over the face oi the printing plate l i in substantially the same manner as in the ernbo as d )closed in Fig. 1. A tongue formed on the printing plate di! holds this printing against lor4 displacement in the saine manner as o o tongue shown in i. l to 3. The carrier f2 is relatively large and is rectangular in fior-rn and a cut away or chamfered corner di provided for the purpose of facilitating properly locating or positioning the printing device The carrier 42 has a plurality of spaced openings 4about its edges which are preferably spaced eouidistantly and which are located relatively close tol the edges of the carrier The material inter-- mediate each of the openings and the adjacent edge of the carrier is adapted to loe cut away, as indicated in lili, to form notc es whereby printing devices it may be readily .ed accordance with the method disclosed. in the aforesaid Perkinsv patent. Y

To enablecertain claseiiicationsoi' the printing` device Il() to be readily changed or reversed, the carrier le has-two notches formed adjacent to each other on one edge of the carrier 42 and a shifts-.bie disk-l re member clin is provided whereby one or the other of the notches iii and 46" may be closed so as to have the characteristics of an opening The disk iAlis se-I curedon the carrier iii by flanged eyelet 5in so that the disk may lbe rocked about the` axis Apro"- vided'by the eyelet 52A. Atone. of its edges the disk 56A is cut avi/ayto provide a re ally piro-j jecting arm 52 and the" arm 52 hlasuan'opening 55` 7 formed therein which when located over one of the slots 46 or 56, serves to impart to the slot the characteristics of one of the openings Thus the disk member Elle. may be shift-cd from one position to another to indicate changes classification of the printing device It will be understood that, if desired or required, a pluM rality of such arrangements could be included in a single printing device.

The carrier l2 is considerably larger th n the printing plate fil and hence the p' nting plate ll is located substantially centra-ily of the carrier t2, relatively large recording areas afforded about the printing plate :li on one si or face of the printing device and abou=J mounting plate ed on the other face of the p ing device. Hence entries may be made upon f areas 54 so that the printing device i2 may coristtute a complete record of all s information pertaining to the same subject as the printing device 32, and the record w' thus provided may be widely varied to mi ing conditions which are encountered i field 0f use of printing devices of this cha e Moreover it will be evident that as to cerf such entries made upon the spaces il-l, the may make related entries mechanically upon the printing device t2, this being accomplishes through the formation of notches it at appropriate locations about the edge of the printing device. Hence, as to such mechanically icorporated data, the user may select related prin) devices from a group thereof through performed sorting operations.

hereinabove I have described the invention as embodying a carrier that includes a portion that is so arranged that means may be afforded along the marginal edges thereof to thereby enable sorting or other separation of the printing devices of this invention to be effected for purposes such as those referred to hereinabove. It is to be understood, however, that it is within the purview of the present invention to so arrange the carrier that means which will enable sorting of the printing devices to be effected other than along the marginal portions of the carrier, and this will be particularly true in those instances where it is desired to effect the desired sorting of the printing devices in conventional sorting machines, arrangements of this character being well understood in the art.

Moreover, it will be appreciated from the foregoing description that this invention primarily resides in so arranging printing devices that sorting or other separation thereof may be accurately and expeditiously effected and in this respect it will be understood that those means which are included in the printing devices for the purposes of enabling sorting and selection thereof to be effected may be utilized for other purposes such as being indicative of data or classifications of data.

Therefore, While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of Variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a manually sortable printing device of the character described, a card formed from l the other face of said card, projecting means on at least one of said plates and extending through said card and to said other plate to hold said plates in position on said card, said card embodying selective means disposed at a plurality of positions thereon to enable sorting of the printing device from a group thereof, and a shiftable member mounted on one of said plates adjacent a pair of said selective means for shifting movement between two positions, said shiftable member having an element thereon operable to reverse the sorting characteristics of said pair of selective means selectively in accordance with the location of said member in one or the other of said two positions.

2. In a sortable device of the character described, a card formed from a material such as cardboard and having a series of spaced openings formed therein at predetermined positions and in inwardly spaced relation to the edges thereof and in positions that said openings may be selectively converted into notches by cutting away additional portions of the card at the positions defined by said openings to thereby enable sorting oi the card from a group thereof, said card having a pair of adjacent openings notched as aforesaid to impart different characteristics thereto, and a shiftable member pivotally mounted on said card adjacent to said pair of openings for shifting movement between at least two positions, said shiftable member having means thereon operable selectively in accordance with the location of said member in one or another of its positions to impart selectively to one of said pair of openings the characteristics of one of the unconverted openings.

3. In a manually sortable device of the character described, a card formed from a material such as cardboard and having a series of spaced openings formed therein along and adjacent at least one edge thereof in positions such that notches may be formed in the card at one or more selected positions dened by said spaced openings, said card being formed with a pair of notches in closely spaced relation therein at one edge thereof, and a shiftable member pivotally mounted on said card adjacent said pair of notches for shifting movement between two positions, said shiftable member having means thereon operable to close the ends of said pair of notches selectively in accordance with the location of said member in one or the other of said two positions, thereby to impart selectively to one of said pair of notches the characteristics of one of said spaced openings.

GEORGE R. SULLIVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 889,503 Belknap June 2, 1908 898,425 Belknap Sept. 15, 1908 950,747 Duncan Mar. 1, 1910 1,390,026 Duncan Sept. 6, 1921 1,544,172 Perkins June 30, 1925 1,629,033 1927 1,654,040 1927 1,739,087 Perkins Dec. 10, 1929 1,765,370 Gollwitzer June 24, 1930 1,768,767 Hubbard July 1, 1930 (Other references on following page) Number Name Date Gollwitzer Feb. 10, 1931 Detwiler Jan. 29, 1935 Osborn June 25, 1935 Gollwitzer May 18, 1937 Elliott Sept. 27, 1938 Elliott Apr. 30, 1940 Connor Dec. 17, 1940 Connor Nov. 4, 1941 Number Number 

